Manufacturing the Future

Manufacturing high-quality products is nothing new in Maryland. What is new is the advanced materials, innovative processes, and modern machinery companies use to produce high-mix, low-volume, high-tech products. Think autonomous systems, medical devices, sensors and other electronics, and capital equipment.

And who is doing all this modern manufacturing—robots? In some cases, sure. But who’s running the robots? A highly educated, highly skilled workforce, that’s who. According to U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges survey, the University of Maryland ranks 14th in the nation in undergraduate supply chain management/logistics.

The University of Maryland College Park ranks 14th in the nation in undergraduate supply chain management/logistics.

An Ideal Location and a Leading Port

Maryland’s strategic location is a boon for manufacturing and distribution. At the center of the East Coast and next door to the nation’s capital, Maryland anchors one of the country’s busiest commercial corridors—and your products are within an overnight drive of one-third of the U.S. population.

Speaking of anchors, the Port of Baltimore is one of America’s top deepwater ports. It ranks number one in the nation in handling cars and trucks, and in Roll On/Roll Off cargo. Equipped with four neo-Panamax cranes, the port serves the latest generation of supersized container ships, and is itself served by two Class I rail carriers and easy access to major interstates. The Port was cited in Supply Chain Management Review as one of “Three Ports Building for the Future.”

Maryland also boasts four foreign trade zones and convenient proximity to four international airports, for additional ease in importing components and exporting advanced manufacturing products.